Ladyhawkeye
by Liberty Flight
Summary: "Always together and forever apart," the curse placed on two lovers by an envious Bishop. By day she is a hawk and by night he is a wolf. Then there's Edward 'Fullmetal' Elric, a petty thief who somehow stumbles into the whole mess while escaping from prison. [Royai AU based on the movie Ladyhawke]
1. Chapter 1

**Ladyhawkeye**

* * *

"Impossible," The teenager muttered to himself. "Nothing is…impossible."

He could taste the mud, the filth entering his mouth as he continued his journey towards freedom. The smell, at least, wasn't terrible. Damp earth was hardly the worst scent on earth. He wished it wasn't all over him though.

The terribly small confines he found himself in were cramped. Cramped, wet, cold, and muddy. He crawled forward at what felt like a snail's pace, barely able to wriggle forward and maneuver the small space to continue making his way through the earth he contemplated his predicament.

The space was so small that had he been any bigger…

He scoffed, stopping the thought.

"I'm not small," he muttered to no one.

Maybe he hadn't escaped at all and this was some type of purgatory.

He entertained the thought for a few moments as he inched forward.

Purgatory and not hell because while his predicament was far from desirable it was not torturous enough to be called Hell. But it was frustrating and horrible enough that it could warrant the intermediary called Purgatory.

God, what he wouldn't give to stand and stretch his arms…To bathe.

Admittedly he would at least come out of this experience with a whole new respect for earth worms.

The sensation of wet earth squishing and moving as he did, trapped in his clothes, his hair, his skin, was one he could live without. He was cold, and filthy, and wholly miserable in his endeavor, though determined to see it through. He had no other choice other than to see it through.

He wasn't about to die and leave his brother alone.

"Come on Fullmetal….Dig." He wasn't sure if encouraging himself was actually helping or just a sign of how exhausted he was. But something about the half sarcastic bitter muttering encouragements amused him, if only privately.

"Dig…"

Finally his fingers made it through the damp layer of earth…and he felt air.

Yes!

His exhaustion momentarily forgotten he attacked the, hopefully, last barrier between him and freedom with renewed energy.

* * *

"Two more!" the dark haired knight ordered.

"Who?"

"I want Edward Elric," was the curt reply.

He followed as the man led him through the dank prison, he wrinkled his nose at the smell, but smiled at the look of abject misery on the faces of the prisoners he passed. There were the echoing shrieks of a man as he struggled and he took a moment to relish in the sound as they walked.

"This is the cell, sir."

Solf Kimblee walked into the indicated cell, blue eyes scanning the area and only finding one chained prisoner. One who was definitely not Edward Elic.

"Wrong cell. I want Edward Elric, the one they call Fullmetal."

"Fullmetal?" A high, amused voice asked. Kimblee turned towards the prisoner "Fullmetal…Fullmetal just couldn't settle!" Kimblee crouched in front of the filthy prisoner as the man spoke. "No Fullmetal today, he's runaway. To ease the pain he's-" here the man snickered. "-he's down the drain!"

Kimblee drew his sword, bringing it down forcefully only inches away from the prisoner.

"Where is he!?"

"I already told you, gentle lord!" The man was no longer amused, wide frightened eyes switching from the blade to the man holding it.

"Hang him," he ordered the other knight. "Search every sewer and every drain! Or I'll hang _you_ in his place," he warned.

He paid no attention as the prisoner was dragged from the cell to meet his fate.

"Impossible…No one could have escaped through there…" He muttered, examining the small opening.

* * *

With one last displaced chunk of earth and stone he was finally free of his cramped confines.

Edward stretched his arm forward, both in an attempt to drag the rest of himself through the opening and to stretch the cramped limb.

"It's not unlike escaping mom's womb…" he muttered, then grimaced at his own comment. "God, what a memory."

His stomach swooped as he fell, he had a millisecond to prepare for the cold water that greeted him. Spluttering he broke the surface.

Fate must be laughing at him, wishing for a bath only moments ago and now he was spluttering from the forced and unexpected dunk in the water.

The current carried him along as he sputtered and struggled to get his bearings. His heart practically leaped from his chest when he saw a dark shaped form swimming in front of him, and headed straight at him. Some type of animal? Whatever it was anything was dangerous and he thought it better to assume the worst.

Thinking quickly Edward grabbed at the brick walls, finding an arch with an accompanying ledge and scrambling atop of the precarious perch.

"Lord…I'll never pick another pocket for as long as I live, I swear." He readjusted his grip. "Now here's the problem," he coughed, still breathing heavily from exertion. "How can I live up to my word if I don't live?"

"If you hear me…This ledge will remain steady." His eyes drifted fearfully towards the ominous object floating-swimming?-towards him. "And that thing coming towards me won't be what I think it is." He kept his eyes on the object, continuing his monologue. If he could keep himself in high spirits then his situation wasn't so bad. "If it is…No hard feelings." he reassured any listening deity. "But I'd be very disappointed."

If worst came to worse he could fight. He wasn't in the best shape to do so, but if he didn't have a choice it would hardly matter. He was freezing and weak with hunger, the bruises he'd sustained during his capture and imprisonment still fresh.

He watched, heart pounding and still out of breath as the object continued closer.

It wasn't moving, really, which made him think it was an object and not some monster.

Edward let out a sigh of relief as it floated near enough to be identified.

A cow's skull. Ominous, but not dangerous.

"I don't believe it," he chuckled, eyeing the skull as it floated past him.

Then he heard it.

Singing.

"I really don't believe it…"

He got down from his perch, re-entering the water.

He shivered, the water reaching his waist as he waded through it towards the-quite literally-heavenly sound of song towards its source. He thought he recognized it as some church hymn or another, but honestly it could have been a drinking song and it would have sounded like angel's singing anyways.

It led him to a latter, where it led he didn't know. It was a possible way out and Ed was going to take it.

He clawed up the rusty rungs, exhausted and cold.

"You won't regret this, God," he said quietly, grinning at his own humor. "I'm a good person." He wasn't sure he entirely believed that, but bad people lived all the time.

Hopefully whatever merciful deity had decided to spare him some luck in his escape would not be offended by his lie.

He made it to the top, the light filtering through the grill the best thing he'd seen in days.

Freedom.

But a tough metal grill and what appeared to be a crowded church of people stood in the way. There was no way he was going to get out through here, at least not while mass was in session.

Okay so sticking his fingers through the grill was a pretty stupid move.

He could admit that as he swam upwards in his quest for air.

His fingers felt as if they had been broken by the heavy boots that had stepped on them.

And maybe his assertion of being a 'good' person had offended some deity and it had decided to resend it's boon.

Still his fingers getting crushed underneath heavy boots had hurt, he just hoped his yelp of pain and subsequent splash hadn't alerted the wrong people of his location or he'd be meeting whatever deity there was all too soon.

Underwater, he noticed an opening, another passage. There were metal bars blocking the way, but there was a damaged corner that he could fit through. Despite his misgivings Edward decided to take his chances.

He was starting to regret it-air was in low supply-when he finally caught a glimpse of light through the water's surface.

He broke though and gasped, greedily gulping down air and attempting to take in his new surroundings. His golden hair was plastered against his face and obscured his vision but he could see that his gamble had paid off.

He was outside.

In the moat, to be precise.

He kept only his nose and eyes above water as he observed his new surroundings. He was hardly out of trouble now.

He needed supplies and he needed to get as far away from the prison as possible.

Spotting two distracted guards near the water's edge Edward swam closer, ready to dunk underwater if either of the men turned around to spot him.

Perfect, he thought with a grin.

He saw a knife that had been carelessly left unattended, Edward grabbed it. With his new weapon he cut the feeble string tying a money bag to one of the guard's waist.

"I know I promised never again." Edward whispered as he swam away. "But I also know that you know what a weak willed person I am…" Now he had to go and find his brother.

Al was safe, he had to be. Alphonse was safe.

Alone…vulnerable…sick…Edward shook his head. His little brother was safe. Not locked up, that was for sure.

* * *

She contemplated the half written letter in front of her, wondering what else she wanted to say.

 _Everything_ was the simple, and honest, answer. But a letter couldn't encompass such a vast statement.

The night air was crisp and goose bumps raised on her arms as the wind picked up. The fresh scent of tree sap and wet earth permeated the air.

The moon's light was only visible through a cloud that she could barely make out through the forest's canopy.

She looked up from the paper; she checked first the fire and then turned her attention to her companion.

The large black furred wolf was just outside of the fire's immediate light, content to watch from the shadows of the night. He seemed more cautious tonight, ears flickering in every direction at each new sound. She supposed that it may be credited to the fact that they had never been in this area before.

Well, they had. But not since…

She shook her head. It didn't matter, that was years ago.

Her grip on the pen tightened. Years…Sadness and longing washed over her at the thought.

Years since she'd been able to see him for any longer than a few short moments. Years since she'd been able to enjoy the sun or he the moon.

What a pathetic pair they were.

She wrote a line she must have written over a hundred times by now, just as he had.

Writing and reading the words never felt any easier, any less sorrowful or any less truthful no matter how many times they appeared.

 _I miss you._

Riza shivered as a cool breeze picked up, she brought up the dark hood of her cloak. The wolf wandered closer until it stood at her side, gentle she ran a hand through the fur at its neck, the creature leaning into the touch. He was warm and she had to move her unfinished letter out of the way as he settled his head on her lap.

Nearby Hayate raised his head then set it back down when he saw that nothing interesting had happened. Over the sound of the fire she could hear the horse adjust its footing from where it had been tied earlier in the day.

"How am I going to finish writing this with you in my lap?" She asked him quietly, smiling sadly as she set her things aside.

Of course the wolf didn't answer, still she felt a painful sort of comfort from his near presence.

Sighing she bent her head, resting it atop of his. He was warm and his fur was soft against her skin. She closed her eyes and felt her heart clench.

Both of them had run out of tears by now but it still hurt. His fur was the same color as his hair, his eyes the same shade of blue-gray that she longed to see.

"I'm sorry, Roy."

Roy shifted and let out a low whine, Riza knew he didn't understand why she was upset, didn't understand her words at all, and it only hurt more.

"I'm so sorry…"

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading. Please review! I'm not sure how many chapters this will end up being, maybe three or four, depending on how long they end up being.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ladyhawkeye Chapter 2**

* * *

Roy stopped the horse for a moment, staring in the general direction where the deep ringing of church bells was coming from.

They had wandered back to the area near Amestris for the first time in years, the same tolling bells greeting them as before. A wave of loathing swelled within him at the thought of just who resided within the walls of Amestris.

He adjusted the dark hood of his cloak and then looked at the majestic hawk perched on his left arm.

"What do you think, Riza?" he murmured.

She shifted her weight, claws readjusting their grip and wings fluttering.

Though the hawk's eyes remained the same auburn color as Riza's they lacked the intelligent spark that he longed to see. Roy wasn't sure if it was better or worse that her spirit seemed to remain even though her awareness did not.

If her letters were to be believed he was the same way come nightfall.

Movement from one of the bags hanging on the horse's side caught his attention, a canine whine escaping the small passenger as Roy looked down at Hayate.

He had made the bag especially for carrying the young puppy and it had proved useful, soon he or Riza would have to adjust its size as the pup continued to grow. Roy tried to stop as often as possible to let Hayate run around and relieve himself, though the young dog seemed to sleep most of the time. Apparently it had taken to being a nocturnal sort of creature and Roy could hardly fault him for being so fond of Riza.

Roy, at least, got to speak with people on the rare occasion he chose to do so and if there was no risk of being recognized or reported to the authorities. But Riza was denied the luxury because her time came during the night.

Then there were their animal selves to consider.

While a hawk could be passed off as a wild pet a wolf most certainly could not.

It would take a half blind fool to mistake him for a dog. Riza fretted of letting him too close to areas that may have trappers, so they usually frequented less populated areas during the night if they could help it.

They had traveled anywhere that had even a whisper of rumor of magic, desperately searching for some type of solution and finding none. All the while they had to stay away from those who served that damn Bishop.

If her puppy helped to relieve even a fraction of Riza's solitude then Roy was glad for it.

Roy leaned down to scratch the shiba between the ears before continuing on his way.

He would have to set up camp and then when dusk came, for a few precious moments, he would see Riza before the night took him.

Even though he knew it to be impossible Roy wished that in those few breaths that her eyes would not be filled with such agonizing sorrow when their gazes met. He was sure, like in all things, he mirrored her. Riza probably shared his wish.

And with it, doubtlessly, she shared his futility.

* * *

"There's disturbing news, your grace," Kimblee announced once the one he was waiting for turned the corner. The title was said with a curl of amusement on his lips.

"Well?"

The dark haired bishop was expectant, extravert robes resting on his tall frame and amethyst eyes glinting with impatience. His dark colored hair contrasting with his white robes.

Kimblee's private amusement was short lived, he knew that he would get in trouble for the breach.

"One of the prisoners has escaped."

"No one ever escapes from the dungeons of Amestris, Kimblee." He spoke calmly, but his words were tinged with anger. "That is a fact." Clearly he was daring the knight captain to say otherwise,

Unfortunately Kimblee was forced to do so.

"The responsibility is mine," he managed to sound calm, though he clenched his jaw at the forced humility.

"Yes."

 _Of course the bishop would agree so readily_ , Kimblee thought with a spike of annoyance.

"It would be a miracle if he managed to get through the sewage system," the captain reported, pushing aside his anger for when he found the troublesome brat.

"I believe in miracles, Kimblee," the bishop reminded him dryly. He grinned smugly, laughter in his amethyst eyes. "It's part of the job."

The silence was a beat too long.

"At any rate he is but a small petty thief," Kimblee muttered. His pride stung, and he didn't like that there was one less body hanging from his gallows, but it was the truth.

"Great storms announce themselves with a simple breeze, Captain." A pause. "And a single random spark can ignite the fires of rebellion." That criticism seemed especially potent, an old traitor's ghost hanging off of the warning.

Their eyes met, Kimblee refusing to act submissive in the face of the bishop's anger.

Invideo may be the bishop but Kimblee was the one with a sword on his hip. The so called 'flame of rebellion' was a thorn in Kimblee's side, and the bishop knew it.

"If he's out there, my grace, I will find him," he assured him. "After all, it's my job to make sure society's scum is eliminated." A grin overtook his face as he spoke.

Despite the trouble the boy called Fullmetal had brought him Kimblee could not deny the rush of excitement the idea of hunting down a thief audacious enough to escape his prison. It was boring when they didn't put up a fight.

"Yes." It was more threat than disagreement.

The Bishop held out his hand, showcasing his ring.

Kimblee gave a sharp grin.

"Now, now Envy," he chided, speaking silkily as he allowed the man's alternate moniker escape his mouth. "Let's not get too bold."

Kimblee turned on his heel before he could be reprimanded for the disrespect. Envy, better known as the bishop Invideo, was not known for his tolerance. But the knight captain simply couldn't help but twist the knife.

* * *

"We will take ten men to the north!" Kimblee ordered.

"Whoever should find Elric will be rewarded!" he bellowed to his men, his horse trotting along agitatedly. "Even more so if you leave his death for my hands," he added in a quieter voice, but still loud enough to be heard. He wasn't concerned with injuries, they could hack off the boys legs for all he cared.

He had been captain long enough for them to know that.

"And the man who lets him escape will explain himself to me," he warned with a sharp look to each of the ten knights who would be following him on this excursion.

* * *

Jogging along through the chilly mist on the dirt path that ran along the forest Edward was panting.

Ignoring his burning muscles, especially his left leg, he urged himself to keep going.

"Come on, Fullmetal. Keep going…"

It was early the next morning and he could hear what sounded like howling wolves in the distance.

"Wolf?" he muttered to himself, looking in the general direction the sounds were coming from but continuing to stumble awkwardly along. "Please no wolves," he pleaded to no one, half resigned to his continuing chain of bad luck.

Edward was, in a word, freezing.

He cursed when he stumbled for what felt like the hundredth time. His feet ached with both cold and strain, and each bruise he had earned during both his capture and escape seemed to throb with renewed vengeance.

Wasn't cold supposed to numb you? Of course he wasn't that lucky. Instead it felt like the icy air was stabbing at his abused muscles.

His lips were chapped, the cold wind doing little to help. His hair still felt wet from his swim to freedom despite the fact that it had been almost an entire day. Between his watery escape and the snow he didn't expect his hair or clothes to dry completely anytime soon if he remained in the area.

His arms were crossed in an effort to conserve warmth, his fingers jammed desperately under his armpits. He was shivering constantly, his warm breath escaping in a puff of condensation that seemed to taunt him with its warmth.

"Where the hell am I?" Edward stopped to look around and try to find some kind of marker. He knew the general direction he had run in, and he could tell that he was in the mountains. There was snow on the ground and in the surrounding trees and the lake he was walking along appeared frozen.

The sun was beginning to rise, its rays already hitting the higher peaks of the mountains in the distance. He then decided to continue heading in the general direction of his planned destination. Eventually he would be able to find his way.

His left leg was killing him, the old wound protesting at both the horrible physical ordeal and the temperature.

Edward wasn't so much tripping as limping.

He would say that his calf felt as if it was on fire but he knew better. Hazy as the memory was he could recall what actual flames felt like and he had the scar to prove it.

Instead his calf simply felt as if the muscle itself was rebelling, the worst cramp imaginable compounded with a horrendous ache that seemed to travel all the way up his leg and deep as the marrow in his bones.

"What I would give for Granny's s-soup…" he muttered to himself, teeth chattering. His voice was raspy and tired, but speaking helped him focus his thoughts after a restless night.

He was starving. He had kept running throughout the majority of the night, sleeping in short intervals. He'd had no time to set any traps or hunt. Not that he even had the energy.

Edward was focused on getting the knights off his tail and getting back to Alphonse, Winry, and Pinako. His empty stomach and exhausted muscles could wait.

A full belly would mean very little if he was strung up by the neck because he had stopped.

Some time later Edward stumbled across a small village. One with people consumed by their daily business. They were not at all concerned with him as he eyed the clothes that were hanging dry or the shoes that had been thoughtfully set to the side.

Edward liked to say he was thief by necessity and not by trade.

But he was doubtlessly good at it, and it was severely necessary as he passed through the small village.

His clothes were threadbare and he had no shoes. If he didn't get proper clothing soon then he was going to save the knights the trouble of carrying out his death sentence and die from exposure.

With that thought in mind Edward skillfully pilfered what he needed in broad daylight.

The key was acting like you owned the place.

Naturally people avoided confrontation, especially troublesome ones that didn't concern them, so if someone who held their head high and strode confidently aroused suspicion it wasn't enough of a problem to deal with.

He wasn't hurting anyone and Edward made sure to steal from multiple people so that his thieving wouldn't hurt one person or family too much. His kindheartedness went unappreciated by his victims but that was to be expected.

* * *

Roy calmed the great black horse he was riding as it fidgeted beneath him.

He was outside of a village and he intended to stay and watch. He had seen a group of Knights searching the area and had hidden in the forest to avoid them but they hadn't been hunting for him and Riza.

They were looking for someone else and that interested him.

Besides, Roy had caught sight of that bastard Kimblee leading the search party and the exiled Knight Captain felt his heart jump with anticipation at the thought of crossing swords with him.

A hawk's gentle cry drew his attention and he automatically held up his arm for the majestic bird to land.

He felt the familiar weight of Riza on his forearm and checked her over, he could never resist doing so. Once she had gotten into a fight with what Roy could only assume was another bird of prey and had returned to him injured.

That was when they learned that unlike their minds their injuries could cross over forms.

She seemed to sense his mood, her feathers ruffling slightly.

"Kimblee is in that village," he told her softly, allowing his eyes to return to the area he had been watching before. Then he smiled. "You probably saw him and his men, I don't know why I'm telling you."

Of course she didn't respond but the sound of his voice smoothed out her feathers. And with her lack of urgency Roy could safely assume that there was little chance of an unfriendly threat somewhere beyond his line of sight.

Riza had warned him of such dangers before and he wondered just how often she flew simply to scout the area. Both wolves and hawks were territorial animals and he wondered how their rather nomadic lifestyle fit into that.

He was brought out of his musing when Riza turned her head sharply, beak opening and closing.

Roy turned to the same direction, anticipating whatever it was that had caught her attention.

He didn't have to wait long to see a lithe but bedraggled teenager making his way up the dirt path and heading in the same direction as Kimblee's men. The young man appeared to be limping, but it didn't affect his hurried pace.

Roy put thoughts of the boy aside for now.

He had a Knight Captain to keep an eye on.

Riza would probably write him a very angry letter on how reckless he was, but Roy was tired.

Tired of the curse, tired of running. If he and his beloved Riza were going to be consumed by the curse then Roy wanted to kill those who needed to be killed before that happened.

Riza didn't want him to, but Riza had always been the more leveled of the two of them.

With the curse leaving them both to fade deeper and deeper into their lonely solitude Roy could hardly feel the brush of her fingers as she reached out to hold him back from his hatred.

* * *

Edward found himself exactly where he needed to be. Somewhere that would sell him something to drink and eat.

There was a raised platform underneath an overhang with some type of plant growing on it, chickens contentedly meandering around it, and on the platform there were tables for the inn's patrons.

There appeared to be a few other costumers slouched in their seats and enjoying a drink but Edward paid no attention to them. Their ragged neutral toned robes were enough to tell him that they had nothing he needed or wanted.

"Innkeeper!" Edward called out, stepping onto the platform and taking a moment to relish the feeling of his new shoes.

The man looked up, grunting in acknowledgment.

"A pint of your finest," he ordered, allowing a cocky smile onto his face as he leaned onto the wooden table.

"Let me see your money first," the innkeeper responded, his voice low and gravelly.

Edward did so shaking the money bag and listening with satisfaction as the coins chinked together.

Edward was on a high. He had clothes and shoes, he wasn't freezing anymore, he had stolen some food earlier and was going to get more, and he had escaped the prison of Amestris.

To top off his good fortune he even had a very nice knife and an even nicer bag of money for his troubles.

"If you had stuck to the woods, you may have stood a chance, Elric."

Edward froze, his heart skipping a beat as ice flooded through his veins.

Slowly, as if he could delay the inevitable if he didn't move, Edward turned to face the superior and self satisfied sounding speaker.

As he feared there stood Knight Captain Kimblee with his deep blue eyes sharp with cruelty and mouth cutting a smile across his face.

Edward forced a smile, it felt too sharp on his lips. His heart thumped against his ribcage violently as he stepped backwards. He felt the edge of the table dig into his back and duly noted the sound of shuffling as the innkeeper moved away from him.

He watched as the people who had been slouched in their seats with the hoods of their deceptively drab robes hiding their faces stood up and took off their disguises. Knights.

Ten of them not counting Kimblee.

Fear curled within his ribs and pressed into his lungs.

"You're right," Edward agreed airily. His contradicting tone and thoughts only added to the surrealism he was experiencing. Was this really it? He had escaped an inescapable prison only to be found by pure dumb luck?

"Get him," the Knight Captain ordered curtly.

With those two words the knights and Edward were all spurred into sudden frenzied motion.

Edward wasn't going to die without making them work for it.

He had a brother to get home to.

* * *

 **A/N** : I hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review! I apologize for the time between updates. My update schedule will most likely be erratic, though hopefully there will be less time before the next chapter.


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